I'm sure over the years there have been many times where people have told me to go jump into a lake.

I guess it really came as no surprise then when I finally decided to accept one particular invitation and participate in the 5th Annual Ajax Polar Bear Swim that took place on Jan. 1. However, I did make it clear to everyone the only way I'd go in was if people actually paid for me to go in and that their money would be donated to charity.

The Ajax Polar Bear Swim has been a fundraiser for the R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre. However, with the blessing of organizer Peter Gos, I chose to swim for the United Way of Ajax Pickering Uxbridge, with which I am heavily involved. I quickly went viral with the news and put it out to all my contacts through Facebook, Twitter and my online blog. You see, not only did I want to raise as much money as possible, but by putting it out there I wanted more people to hold me to it just in case I felt the urge to call in sick that day.

My wife, four children and my video producer all joined me at the beach as well as a number of others I knew. I was amazed when I got there to see so many people who came to participate as well as to watch. I didn't have much time to ponder what I was about to do since the countdown began soon after my arrival.

Despite the fears of what it would be like, running in en masse for the first time was actually quite invigorating. I surprised myself when I actually accepted the invite by Peter Gos and another lady to jump in again. I then cursed myself when I followed my producer's direction to go in a third time, as he wanted a better camera angle. By the final exit my quads were getting numb and my sanity was now truly in question.

In the end over $2,100 was raised for the cancer centre and as of today I am near $300 for the United Way. With 2009 being such a difficult year for many, myself included, I decided to have a year like I've never had before, I had to start it off by doing something I've never done before. When all things are considered, I'd say both from a selfless and a selfish perspective, we're off to a great start in 2010.